What is a US fish and wildlife export permit?

Import/Export (I/E) Licenses are issued only by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) and are issued to entities (companies or individuals) before they commercially import into or export from the United States shipments containing wildlife (including their parts and products). You are required to obtain your I/E License prior to commercially importing into or exporting from the United States shipments containing wildlife, their parts, or products.

The Endangered Species Act (ESA) (16 U.S.C. §§ 1531-1544) defines the term “fish or wildlife” as “any member of the animal kingdom, including without limitation any mammal, fish, bird (including any migratory, nonmigratory, or endangered bird for which protection is also afforded by treaty or other international agreement), amphibian, reptile, mollusk, crustacean, arthropod or other invertebrates, and includes any part, product, egg, or offspring thereof, or the dead body or parts thereof.”

A License is not required for personal use. Personal use means use that is for an individual’s own consumption or enjoyment and not for commercial use. Examples below are not a complete list: • Hobbyists, unless wildlife is for sale, trade, or barter • Personal Pets • Tourist souvenirs • Personally sport-hunted trophies imported or exported by the hunter • Fish taken for recreational purposes, However, even though an I/E License is not required for your activity, you should check the regulations to determine if your shipment requires any other type of permission from FWS (designated port exception permit, inter-state transport, possession, etc.)